TOWARD ADVANCING SUBSTANTIVE REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT: Case Study of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The representation of women in parliament has remained a topic of discussion among scholars and policymakers for decades. International momentum in favor of gender equality and women’s leadership has been growing since the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. In Sri Lanka, the political system is semi-presidential. The executive branch is headed by the president who works alongside the prime minister and a cabinet. Prior to each interview, consent was requested regarding the respondent’s willingness to be anonymous or quoted in the study to create a comfortable atmosphere and to encourage honest responses. Gender becomes a barrier on top of class, ethnicity, religion, and age for women to enter into politics. Institutions backed by critical actors can support gender-sensitive policies in parliament.